40 Villas, 1 Officer: Gehlot Slams Rajasthan Govt Over Shikhar Agrawal Case
Former CM Ashok Gehlot questions the Rajasthan government over alleged massive property acquisitions by IAS officer Shikhar Agrawal and his family.
The political temperature in Rajasthan has soared as former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot launched a scathing attack on the state government regarding the Shikhar Agrawal property controversy. The controversy centers on allegations of large-scale property acquisitions linked to the IAS officer and his family, sparking a fierce demand for accountability from the Congress leadership.
The '40 Villas' Question
Former CM Ashok Gehlot has raised serious questions about the sheer scale of the alleged acquisitions. Highlighting the magnitude of the case, Gehlot questioned how an officer could be linked to the purchase of 40 villas worth Rs 6 crore.
"Was this scheme created solely for Shikhar Agrawal? The Chief Minister must answer this," Gehlot demanded, suggesting that the acquisitions were too massive to be ignored.
Procedural Steps or a Cover-up?
While the state government has already taken some action, Gehlot dismissed these moves as mere formalities. He pointed out that placing the officer on 'Awaiting Posting Orders' (APO) status and registering a case with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) were insufficient responses to such grave allegations.
Gehlot criticized the government for being "generous" in granting immediate permissions and argued that the administrative steps taken thus far were purely procedural rather than a genuine attempt to uncover the truth.
Dotasra Targets CM Bhajanlal Sharma
Adding to the pressure, Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra targeted Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma. Dotasra emphasized the proximity of the accused officer to the top leadership, noting that Shikhar Agrawal served as the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) to the CM within the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
Dotasra argued that when an officer holding such a critical position in the CMO is embroiled in such a scandal, the Chief Minister's silence is unacceptable. He claimed that simply registering a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) does not suffice given the nature of the allegations.
Prediction of a 'Clean Chit'
In a bold prediction, Dotasra claimed that the current inquiry is designed to fail. He suggested that the probe would eventually result in a "clean chit," which the Chief Minister would then use as a political tool.
According to Dotasra, the CM will likely use the administrative actions—such as the APO status—to project an image of honesty while painting the Congress party as dishonest once the officer is declared innocent.
The Core of the Controversy
The investigation focuses on the acquisition of 40 villa cottages purchased from a single company over a period of two and a half years. The reach of the controversy extends to the officer's spouse, IPS officer Prashakha Mathur, who serves as the Additional Director General of Police (Planning).
Following the orders issued by the Department of Personnel, both Shikhar Agrawal and Prashakha Mathur have been placed on APO status as the Anti-Corruption Bureau continues its investigation into the matter.